Michala Petri is a national hero in Denmark, and a recognized name among classical music fans in Europe, Asia, and Canada. If you listen to this album, you will ask yourself how the music business in the USA can frantically promote "The Three Tenors" while mostly ignoring the genius of this amazing young woman.
This is not your kid's recorder. Ms Petri's complete technical and musical mastery of her instrument transforms the recorder into the equal of other familiar solo instruments, but with its own peculiar sound, penetrating but sweet, that sets it apart.
This album is made up mostly of tracks from her many earlier recordings. Some are transcriptions of well-loved piano miniatures (the Grieg numbers are perhaps more charming here than on the piano, if that is possible); of baroque works for flute, recorder, or strings; of modern recorder music written for Ms Petri by contemporary masters. Some are accompanied by small orchestra and others by Ms Petri's husband, the excellent guitarist and lutist Lars Hannibal. The combination of recorder and guitar is an intimate match made in heaven, and I recommend also this duo's complete album, 'Air'.
Several of the pieces stopped me in my tracks, made me sit down and forced me to listen.
Michala Petri demonstrates a masterly control of her instrument and a high level of musicianship in a wide ranging selection of material - from reconstituted Bach to specially composed 20th Century pieces.
Outstanding for me was the Sammartini Concerto: Ms Petri shows a lightness of touch combined with serious enthusiasm and an obvious delight that literally stopped me from working and made me listen. The support given by the Moscow Virtuosi also deserves mention.
Koppel's pieces are fun, as are the arrangements from Grieg and Satie.
Overall, although this could be taken as a glorified sampler... it is much more - there are complete works played intelligently and lighter, throw away pieces you'll want to chase after and listen to again.
